


if not for me

by Fives (janfives90)



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, Medieval AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:28:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22624075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janfives90/pseuds/Fives
Summary: “Are you The Musician?”“I am.”
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 38





	if not for me

The Yellow Apple Tavern is bustling as Emma Nolan sits in the corner, fixing one of the strings on her lyre. She quietly sings to herself, keeping to the tune of the music in her head, and she’s so caught up in her own business that she doesn’t notice the person who pulls out the other chair at her table and sits across from her until they speak.

“Are you The Musician?”

“I am.” Emma pauses in her work, looking up at the hooded man with a grin. “Need a song, mate?”

“I do. Are you taking jobs?”

“Well, sure, for the right price. Even musicians have to eat.”

The man laughs. “Good. Good. Have you ever seen Princess Alyssa before?”

“Of course.” Emma taps on her lyre and winks. “Played for her once.”

“Perfect. You’ll have an in to get close to her.” The man leans forward and slides a folded cloth across the table. “Play a song for her, Musician. You’ll be paid well.”

Emma’s brow furrows as she flips up the cloth to see what’s inside it.

The grin disappears from her lips when she sees a dagger and a small vial.

“Be careful with that,” the man says in a whisper. “One small cut from the poison in that vial and there’s no saving you.”

Emma clears her throat and covers the dagger up again. “I expect to be paid half upfront and half after it’s done.”

“Understood. That means you accept the job?”

“Of course.” Emma smiles and leans back in her chair. “Songs are what I do, after all.”

* * *

Alyssa, Princess of Edgewater, looks up from her book as the door to the castle library bursts open. She frowns in confusion as Emma Nolan strides in, chased after by one of her ladies-in-waiting.

“I apologize, Your Highness, she’s very adamant that she speak with you.”

“It is fine, Mina. I have met Miss Nolan before. You are excused.”

The woman nods and leaves, closing the door behind her.

Alyssa looks at Emma, who’s shifting her weight back and forth between her feet. “Em? What’s going on? I thought you weren’t coming back to the castle until the next festiv-”

“Who would want you dead?” Emma interrupts.

Alyssa blinks. “Excuse me?”

Emma walks over to a nearby table, removing a dagger and a small vial from her coat pocket and setting them down. “Someone either mistook me for someone else or I really need to double-check what being a musician means. A man approached me in the tavern and just paid me half of a sixteen hundred gold piece bounty to kill you.”

“Oh, gods,” Alyssa whispers, stepping to Emma’s side and staring down at the dagger.

“I don’t know what to do, Princess. I’m sure not killing you, but I doubt I can just delay without getting killed myself.” She gives Alyssa a sideways glance. “I don’t think people with quick-acting incurable poisons can be swayed by nice music.”

“Well, you never know.” Alyssa rubs at her mouth. “If you don’t kill me, anybody who’s going to pay  _ that much _ will just keep trying until they succeed.”

Emma snorts. “I get that, but I’m quite serious about the ‘not killing you’ part, Princess.”

“I’m quite serious about not dying, don’t worry.” Alyssa turns and paces for a moment, wandering to one of the bookshelves and skimming her fingers along the spines. “What if I had an idea that you’ll probably think is crazy?”

“I think most of your ideas are crazy. No offense.”

Alyssa rolls her eyes. “Regardless.” She turns to face Emma. “What if they couldn’t kill either of us because they couldn’t find us?”

“My livelihood requires me to be seen, and you’re  _ royalty. _ We’re not going to be able to just disappear here, Princess.”

“Not here in Edgewater, no. But we could disappear somewhere else.”

Emma stares at her. “Alyssa, what are you saying?”

“I’m bored of this place, and I’m tired of not being allowed to have my own dreams just because of the job I’m supposed to have in the future. I want to be  _ me,  _ Emma.” Alyssa crosses the room and sets her hands on Emma’s shoulders. “This is my chance to have that. Come with me.”

“I-I… Are you sure you want me to? Maybe if I stay it’ll buy you time to-”

“What would buy me time? You getting killed by somebody who wants me dead? No thank you.” Alyssa lowers her hands from Emma’s shoulders. “If I’m the problem, or if you don’t believe I’m serious…”

“Of course I believe you,” Emma says softly. “It’s just catching me off-guard. That’s all.” She puts her hands in her pockets. “And, uh, you’re never the problem, Princess.”

Alyssa gives a gentle smile. “I’m glad.” She takes a small step back. “When would you be able to leave?”

Emma shrugs and pats her bag. “I’ve always carried everything I own, so… What do you need?”

“We shouldn’t wait long. I’ll change into clothes that will work better for the road, and I’ll pack up a bag. Wait here.” Alyssa nods at the dagger and vial. “Bring those. It’s dangerous to leave them here, and who knows what we could need.”

“Sure,” Emma says as Alyssa starts to head for the door.

She pauses before she reaches for the handle. “Emma?”

“Yeah?”

Alyssa crosses back over to her, lightly grips the collar of her coat, and kisses her on the cheek. “Thank you,” she whispers.

Emma blushes and nods. “You’re welcome, Princess.”

“You’re going to have to get used to solely calling me Alyssa, Miss Nolan,” Alyssa teases, still holding onto Emma’s collar. “You’ll get us caught.”

“R-Right.” Emma swallows. “I think I can do that.”

Alyssa winks at her. “You’ll have to write a song about me for once, Em. Maybe it’ll help you remember.” She presses another kiss to Emma’s cheek. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Once she leaves the room, Emma gives a soft laugh. “Trust me, Princess,” she mutters. “I’ve written plenty of songs about you.”

She puts the dagger and the vial into her bag, then walks over to one of the bookshelves to wait to leave.


End file.
